ASDC 2026: Who cares about science?

ASDC 2026: Who cares about science?

10:00am BST

Day 1: Registration & refreshments Techniquest

10:45am BST

Welcome TechniquestSue Wardle • Shaaron Leverment

11:00am BST

Movement break Techniquest

11:10am BST

Deep dives: Articulating impact Techniquest Deep dives: Careers + Skills TechniquestClare Davy • Ellie Horner Deep dives: Climate + Sustainability TechniquestChris Dunford Deep dives: Community + Co-creation Techniquest

1:10pm BST

Lunch Techniquest

2:00pm BST

Afternoon plenary: Who cares about science? Techniquest

2:30pm BST

Keynote: UK Government Chief Scientific Advisor TechniquestProfessor Dame Angela McLean

3:00pm BST

The Marsh ASDC Volunteer Award and Youth Voice Awards Techniquest

3:30pm BST

Refreshment break Techniquest

4:00pm BST

From funding gap to trust gap: Framing science centres as civic insitutions TechniquestSarah Dowd • Clarissa Levi If they don’t care about science, is it their fault or ours? TechniquestVictoria Denoon Who cares about science shows? TechniquestWendy Sadler • Elin Roberts • David Price • Dr Sarah Bearchell

4:50pm BST

Day 1: Close Techniquest

7:00pm BST

Evening drinks reception and dinner at Techniquest Techniquest

8:30pm BST

Dinner keynote speaker TBA Techniquest

9:00am BST

Day 2: Registration & refreshments Techniquest

9:30am BST

Welcome to day two Techniquest

9:45am BST

Keynote: Who cares about space? Challenges and opportunities in the century of change TechniquestProfessor Anu Ojha OBE

10:15am BST

Movement break Techniquest

10:25am BST

Engaging with dementia: A voyage inside the brain PlanetariumBen Brown Panel debate: Collaboration is bad. We should all go it alone. TechniquestBen Ward • Hollie Church Queering science engagement TechniquestSarah Cosgriff • Eve Armstrong Who cares about science when no one understands it? Reimagining engagement through animation and XR TechniquestDr Oluwadamilola Okeyoyin

11:15am BST

Exploration hour TechniquestValentine Gigandet

12:15pm BST

Lunch Techniquest

1:15pm BST

Keynote: Feeling science: How epistemic emotions link with attitudes in science centre audiencesDr Gosia Gocłowska

1:45pm BST

Lightning talks Techniquest

2:45pm BST

Refreshment break Techniquest

3:00pm BST

Engaging with dementia: A voyage inside the brain PlanetariumBen Brown Let’s talk about pie (and other kinds of data visualisation) TechniquestRachel Hanson • Bethan Ross Parents care but don’t feel confident: unlocking an audience TechniquestBecca Gooch Who gets to see themselves as a "science person"? Reimagining belonging in science engagement TechniquestDevika

3:50pm BST

Movement break Techniquest

4:00pm BST

Future opportunities and closing plenary Techniquest